Combination stretcher and invalid&#39;s reclining chair



`y 14 1946i J. P. LETscHERT ET AL COMBINATION STRETCHER AND INvALID's RECLINING CHAIR Filed June 12, i944 s sheets-sheet 1 5 Sheecs-Sheetl 2 May 14, 1946. J. P. LETscHl-:RT ET A1.

I COMBINATION STRETCHER AND INVALIDS RECLINING CHAIR Filed June 12, 1944 May 14, 1946- J. P. LETSCHERT ET Al. 2,400,155

COMBINATION STRETCHER AND INVALIDS REGLINING CHAIR Filed June 12, 1944 s snets-sheet s Patented May 14, 194e COMBINATION vSTRETCHER ND INVALIDS RECLININ G CHAIR Johan P. Letschert and Louis Feldman, Chicago, lll.

AApplication June 12, 1944, Serial No. 539,822 y 2 Claims.

This invention Vrelates to a combination stretcher and chair. More particularly, the i11- vention relates to a combination stretcher and chair which is so constructed and arranged that it may be employed, in one position of the parts, for general use as a stretcher` and, in another position of the parts, as a reclining chair for an invalid.

An object of the invention is, therefore, to construct and arrange the new device in such a manner that it may be employed, in one position of the parts as a Stretcher, and in another position of the parts as a reclining chair for an invalid.

One of the diiiiculties experienced in the use of stretchers made and used heretofore is that when carrying an invalid or a body they are difficult to move through narrow and restricted passageways, including doors and the like, due largely to the length and rigidity of the stretcher frame.

Another object of the invention is, therefore to construct and arrange the new device in such a manner that when used as a stretcher for carrying an invalid or a body it may readily be moved through narrow'and restricted passageways including doors and the like.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a novel handle unit in the new device for carrying the same.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the new device showing the parts arranged for use as a reclining invalids chair;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device as seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational View of the device on line 3--3 in Fig. l

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device with the parts thereof, including the handles, arranged to permit the device to be moved through narrow and restricted passageways; doors and the like;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of the new device arranged for use as a stretcher;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the stretcher as shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 is an edge elevational view showing the new stretcher in collapsed position;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional plan View of one of the handle devices or units embodied in the new stretcher, and showing the handle grips in extended position;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Figs. 8 and 9, but showing the parts in a diierent position; and

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional detail view on line II II inl'g. 8;

A preferred embodiment of the new combination stretcher and reclining invalids chair is shown in the drawings and comprises a main supporting frame which is generally indicated at I5, and which includes a pair ofelongated side rails I6 and I1 which are preferably made of tubular metal but may be made of wood or other material. The supporting frame I5 also includes cross rods such as I8 and I9, which extend between the side rails I6 and I1 and are connected thereto in any suitable manner.

A seat portion 2| of a combination ilexible seat and back rest fabric cover 20 is attached to the cross rods I8 and I9. This flexible combination seat and back rest cover 20 also includes a back rest portion 22 which is attached to a reclining back rest 23 which forms a part of the new cornbination chair and stretcher device.

Them reclining back rest 23 includes a supporting frame 24 and the inner end portion 26 of this supporting frame isattached, as at 25, to the cross rod I9 of the device, in any suitable manner.

In the position in which the parts are shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the back rest 23 is disposed in a horizontal position and when in this position the frame 24 of the reclining back rest forms a continuation of the side rails I6 and I1 of the main frame I5, and forms a part of the stretcher with the frame 24 of the back rest 23 lying in the same general plane as the main frame I5 and with the ilexible cover v22 of the back rest 23 lying in the same general horizontal plane as the iiexible seat cover 2|. However, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the reclining back rest 23 of the new device may be raised into an elevated position, to serve as a reclining back rest, and to convert the device into position for use as a reclining invalids chair, by pivoting the back rest frame upon its cross rod I9 into raised position. The back rest 23 may then be held in this position by means of brace rods 21, each of which has a lower end rigidly connected to a cross rod '60 which extends hetween and is carried by the side rails IE and i1 of the supporting frame I5 (Figs. l, 2 and 3). Each of the brace rods 21 has an angled latching upper end portion 29 (Fig. 3) which is removably insertible into. a. latch keeper 30 which is attached to the underside of the back rest frame 24, as shown in Fig. 3. The ends of the cross rod are pivoted in lugs or ears 28 which depend from the side rails I8 and I1.

The new device includes a pair of front frame supporting legs 3I each of which is pivotally connected to or mounted on the underside of the corresponding side rail I6 and I1 by means of a hinge connection 32 (Figs. 1 and 5). The new device also includes a pair of collapsible hinge braces 33 each of which extends between and is pivotally connected at one end to one of the front legs 3I and to the corresponding side rail I6 or I1. Each of these hinge braces 33 is adapted to retain the corresponding front supporting leg 3I in vertical and supporting position as in Figs. l and 5.

Similarly, the new device includes a pair of rear supporting legs 34 each of which is pivotally connected to the corresponding side rail I6 or I1 by means of a hinge connection 35, and each of the rear supporting legs 34 is braced from the corresponding side rail I6 or I1 by a collapsible hinge brace 36, which retains the corresponding rear leg 34 in its vertical or supporting position, as in Figs. l and 5.

When not in use each of the rear supporting legs 34 may be latched in raised and ineiective position, as in Fig. 7, by means of a latch hook 31 which is pivotally mounted on one of the side rails I6 or I1 of the main Trame I5 and each of which is latchingly engageable with a pin 38 on the corresponding rear leg 34. A similar latch hook 39 on each of the side rails I6 or I1 cooperates with a pin 40 on each of the front -legs 3l to retain each of said front legs 3l in raised or ineiective position, as in Fig. 7.

The new device includes a movable front or foot rest section which embodies a frame 4I which is arranged between the side rails I and I1 of the main frame I5 and is mounted at its inner or rear end upon the cross rod I8. The foot rest or front frame section 4I has a flexible fabric covering 42 attached thereto and when the front end or foot rest section 4I is lin raised position the fabric covering 42 therein forms, in effect, a part of the liexible fabric covering 23 of the stretcher frame I5, I6, I1.

The front end portions of the side rails of the foot rest frame 4I, when in lowered position, as in Fig. 1, are suspended by means of ileXible elements, such as chains 44, and these flexible elements 44 are attached, at their upper ends, to the front handle units 45 of the stretcher frame I5,

similar handle units 46 being provided at the rear of the stretcher frame.

The four front and rear handle units and 46 are all identical in construction and hence only one of the same will be described in detail, the construction thereof being shown in Figs. 7 to ll, inclusive, wherein reference is made to one of the handle units 46.

Each of the handle units, 45 and 46, comprises a tubular hand grip 41 the inner end portionof which is secured in any suitable manner, as by welding, to a hinge block 48 (Fig. 8) which is pivotally connected, as at 49, to aconnecting link 53. The connecting link 53 is pivotally mounted, as at 5I upon a hinge block 52. One of the hinge blocks 52 is mounted in the inner end portion of each of the tubular side rails I5 and I1 of the frame I5. Each of these hinge blocks 52 is permanently secured to the end wall of a short tubular member 53 and each of these tubular members 53 is permanently secured in the outer end portion of each of the tubular side rails I6 and I1, as by vbeing welded thereto (Fig. 9).

Provided in the end portion of veach of the side rails I6 and I1, inwardly of the hinge block 52 therein, is an elongated bayonetl slot 56. Each of these bayonet slots 56has an angled inner end portion 58 (Fig. 8) and a headed pin 55 Works in each of the slots 56. Each of the pins 55 is mounted in and is xed to a sliding sleeve 54 and one of these sliding sleeves 54 is slidably mounted on each end portion of each of the tubular side rails I6 and I1.

One end portion of a coil spring 51 is attached to each of the pins 55 and the other end portion of each coil spring 51 is attached to an anchor block 59. One of these anchor blocks 59 is permanently secured, as by welding, in the outer end portion of each of the side rails I6 and I1 of the main frame I5, inwardly of the corresponding slot 56.

In the use of the new combination stretcher and chair device the same may be used as a stretcher by rst arranging the parts in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 5 with the pivoted front and rear end sections 4I and 23, respectively, and the attached fabric coverings 42 and -22 thereon, arranged in the same general horizontal plane with the center section of the main frame I5 and its attached fabric covering 2l. The front and rear supporting legs v3| and 34 may then be lowered into effective position, in which they are shown in Fig. 5, and in which they will be held by the hinged braces 33 and 36.

The front and rear handle units 45 and 43 are normally disposed in the position in which they are shown in Figs. -5 and 6 of the drawings and the parts of the handle units are then disposed in the position in which they are shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9 with the sliding sleeves 54 extending over the hinge joints 48-49--53-5I--52 between the handle elements 41 and the end portions of the tubular side rails I5 and I'I, each sleeve 54 extending inwardly to a point inwardly of the inner end of the corresponding slot 56 (see Figs. 8 and 9). However, when it is desired to move the handle units 45 and 46 into the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 4, and in which they extend at oblique angles relative to the tubular side rails I6 and I1, this may readily be accomplished by grasping the slidable sleeves 54 and sliding the said sleeves 54 inwardly upon the tubular side rails I6 and I1 from the position in which the slidable sleeve 54 is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 into the position in which the same slidable sleeve 54 is shown in Fig. 10. This inward movement of the slidable sleeves 54 moves the pins 55, which are attached thereto, until the pins 55 reach the inner end portions of the slots 56. The slidable sleeves 54 may then be manually turned through a partial revolution upon and relative to the tubular side rails I6 and I1 on which they are mounted so as to move the pins 55 into, and into latching engagement with, the angled inner end portions 58 of the slots 56. In this manner the slidable sleeves 54 are latched in the position in which the slidable sleeve 54 is shown in Fig. l0, with the springs 51 in compressed condition, and with the outer end portions of the slidable sleeves 54 disposed slightly inwardly of the hinge pivots or joints 5I between the handles 41 and the hinge blocks 52, as shown in Fig. 10. The handle portions 41 of the handle units 45 and 45 may then be pivoted upon their hinge joints 5I, into the angular positions in which they are shown in Fig. 4 and as indicated in Fig. 10.

When it is desired to return the handle units 45 and 46 into their normal position, as in Figs. 5 and 6, this may be accomplished by grasping the slidable sleeves 54 and giving them a partial turn upon and relative to the tubular sleeves I6 $400,165- and I1 so as to move the pins 55 out of the angled inner end portions of the slots 56, whereupon the then compressed springs 51 will expand and will thus move the slidable sleeves 54 from the position in which the slidable sleeve 54 is shown in Fig. 10 into the position in which the said sleeve 54 is shown in Figs. Sand 9. During this movement of the slidable sleeves 54 the pins 55 travel in the slots 56 to the outer ends of said slots 56 and the slidable sleeves 54 slip over the hinge joints 48-49-5IJ 5I52 and onto the inner end portions of the handle members 41 so as to form a rigid connection between the handle members 41 and the outer end portions of the tubular side rails I and I1, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

It will be noted that when the handle units 45 and 46 are disposed in the oblique angular positions in which they are shown in Fig. 4 the handle members 41 are disposed in the same general horizontal plane as the tubular side rails I6 and I1 and other parts of the main frame I5 but are arranged at oblique angles relative thereto, while at the same time the handle units 45 and 46 are hingedly movable relative to the tubular side rails I6 and I1 and other parts of the main frame I5. This enables an invalid or body to be carried on the device, properly secured by the straps S, through narrow or restricted passageways, narrow doors, and the like.

When it is desired to use the new device as a reclining invalids chair the parts may be arranged in the position in which they are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and as heretofore described.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; that the present invention provides a novel stretcher and a novel combination stretcher and invalids reclining chair device, and thus accomplishes its intended objects and has the desirable advantages and characteristics including those hereinbefore pointed Vout and others which are inherent in the invention.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a rigid supporting frame including a pair of spaced and substantially parallel side rails, a Sheet of flexible material extending between said side rails and carried by said supporting frame, a handle unit arranged at each end of each of said side rails, each of said handle units including a handle portion, each of said handle units including means providing a hinge joint between the said handle portion thereof and an end portion of one of said side rails whereby said handle portions may be moved relative to but in the same horizontal plane with the said side rails and the said supporting frame when said side rails and said supporting frame are disposed in a horizontal position, a manually operable sleeve slidably mounted upon each outer end portion of each of said side rails, and said apparatus including means mounted in the outer end portion of each of said side rails normally urging said manually operable sleeves slidably outwardly upon said side rails into position to span and enclose the hinge joints between the said handle portions and the end portions of said side rails.

2. An apparatus as dened in claim 1 in which said sleeves are slidably movable on said side rails into an inwardly extended position relative to the long axes of said side rails and in which said apparatus includes means for latching the said manually operable sleeves in said inwardly extended position with the outer end portion of each of said sleeves disposed inwardly relative to the corresponding one of said hinge joints so as to enable the said handle portions of said handle units to be hingedly pivoted relative to the outer end portions of said side rails and into an oblique angular position relative to said side rails.

JOHAN P. LETSCHERT. LOUIS FELDMAN. 

